Committee writes to Defra on upcoming XL bully dog ban
14 December 2023
In a letter to Defra Minister, the Rt Hon Lord Benyon, the EFRA Committee has raised a number of concerns around the Government’s ban on XL bully dogs.
While the cross-party Committee states its broad support for the upcoming measures, it calls for further clarity from the Department on breed identification. As it will initially be for owners to decide whether their dog is an XL Bully or not, MPs urge stronger guidance for owners whose pets might come under the ban and ask what steps the Government has taken to publicise the upcoming legislation.
The letter from MPs today follows the special evidence session the Committee scheduled on the subject in October, in which it heard from the sector.
The Committee questions whether there will be adequate capacity of frontline workers, including the veterinary sector, police and local authorities. It states that veterinary capacity for neutering and euthanasia remains a concern, as many vets might refuse to euthanise a healthy animal, under their code of conduct.
In light of scientific evidence on neutering, the Committee urges an extension to the deadline for neutering large dogs that are under seven months of age on 31 January 2024, to the end of June 2025.
Recognising that the upcoming ban could result in a potential rise in dog abandonments, today’s letter also questions whether the Department is confident that dog wardens, shelters, and relevant organisations have sufficient capacity and funding to manage this eventuality.
In addition, the Committee’s letter asks whether the Department is likely to produce a publicly accessible database for dog bite incidents to be reported and recorded.
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